Written Answers Tuesday 6 November 2007

Scottish Executive

Broadcasting

Iain Smith (North East Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4676 by Linda Fabiani on 25 October 2007, why it did not indicate the specific authorisation in terms of the Budget (Scotland) Act 2007 under which funding for the Scottish Broadcasting Commission has been provided in the current financial year and whether it will now provide the information requested.

Linda Fabiani: Further to the answer to question S3W-4676 on 25 October 2007, the Scottish Broadcasting Commission’s purpose is to offer ministers advice about how they might better pursue functions connected to the matters described in S3W-3217 on 14 September 2007, and to describe matters that ministers may wish to propose that the Parliament consider. The expenditure of the commission is covered by the authorisation of support for the cultural heritage of Scotland in the third purpose in column 1 of schedule 1 to the Budget (Scotland) Act 2007.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Central Heating

Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive why Scottish Gas does not install liquefied petroleum gas systems under the central heating programme.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-4510 on 1 October 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Child Poverty

Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it intends to make to the new child poverty unit set up by the UK Government.

Nicola Sturgeon: My officials have already made contact with the new child poverty unit and will continue to work closely with them to ensure that the analysis, measures and proposals they put forward properly reflect the needs and circumstances of Scottish children, and the policies and priorities of the Scottish Government. We will seek to ensure that, between the UK and Scottish Governments, policies and programmes have the maximum impact possible on child poverty in Scotland, in order that child poverty can be eradicated by 2020.

Child Protection

Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that core child protection services receive adequate funding.

Adam Ingram: It is for local authorities to decide on the level of resources to allocate to meet particular local priorities and needs. By the end of the current Spending Review, core funding to local government will have increased by over £3 billion from 1999-2000. Overall Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE) provision for social work will have increased by almost £984 million over the same period.

  Councils already have considerable flexibility to allocate resources from their aggregate budgets to meet local priorities, including child protection. Future funding for local government is being considered as part of the Spending Review.

Children with Disabilities

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings have been held with representatives of the For Scotland’s Disabled Children campaign to discuss the £34 million allocated to Scotland as a result of the UK Government’s announcement of an extra £340 million for disabled children.

Adam Ingram: Officials have held informal discussions with stakeholders on issues connected with Aiming High for Disabled Children but no formal meetings have yet taken place.

Children with Disabilities

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings are planned with representatives of the For Scotland’s Disabled Children campaign to discuss the £34 million allocated to Scotland as a result of the UK Government’s announcement of an extra £340 million for disabled children.

Adam Ingram: Officials have held informal discussions with stakeholders on issues connected with Aiming High for Disabled Children but no formal meetings are currently planned.

Children with Disabilities

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the £34 million allocated to Scotland as a result of the UK Government’s announcement of an extra £340 million for disabled children will be spent.

Adam Ingram: The Comprehensive Spending Review settlement for Scotland announced by the Chancellor on 9 October 2007 will become part of the total funding available to the Scottish Government, on which our own Strategic Spending Review considerations will be based. Scottish ministers decide their own priorities for the use of all money in the Scottish Block – including consequentials flowing from the UK Government’s announcement of an extra £340 million for disabled children - and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth will announce how they have decided to use them in mid-November.

Class Sizes

Hugh Henry (Paisley South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4098 by Maureen Watt on 20 September 2007 and given that it recognises that its commitment to reduce class sizes to 18 in primary 1 to primary 3 will have implications for the physical accommodation requirements in some schools, whether it will specify where the implications will arise and identify the cost of addressing them.

Maureen Watt: Schools operating at high occupancy levels are most likely to be affected. As with any issue affecting the provision of school places it is for the local authorities to consider the position at individual schools in the light of local circumstances. We have already allocated an additional £40 million of Schools Fund grant linked specifically to the capital implications of reducing class sizes in primary 1 to primary 3. This has been distributed to authorities largely on the basis of the number of schools with high occupancy levels. Future funding is under discussion with local authorities.

Crown Estate

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what contact it has had with the Crown Estate since 1999.

Michael Russell: Since 1999, ministers and Scottish Government officials have met with members and officials of the Crown Estate Commission on a number of occasions to discuss various issues of common interest.

  In addition to the above, the Crown Estate Commission is invited by Scottish ministers to comment on all applications made under Sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 that require an Environmental Impact Assessment.

Culture

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1447 by Linda Fabiani on 25 July 2007, what evidence has emerged from the Cultural Pathfinder projects taking place across Scotland.

Linda Fabiani: Just as individual projects have been varied in their methodology and have different ultimate objectives, so the lessons which are beginning to emerge have demonstrated elements unique to individual project target groups. Most of these lessons are positive. The evidence demonstrates that the new models being used by Pathfinder hosts to inform future cultural policy development and delivery are clearly having the desired effect of engaging local communities, particularly marginalised groups, and engaging Community Planning Partnerships.

Culture

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1447 by Linda Fabiani on 25 July 2007, what work has been carried out to explore the issues surrounding links between cultural delivery and the work of community planning partnerships.

Linda Fabiani: Our 13 pilot projects which are championing new models to inform future cultural policy development and delivery are also exploring the vital links between cultural delivery and community planning. Evidence from these is starting to emerge. For example, in the case of Fife, work on their project has progressed to the extent that Fife has now created a skilled "Cultural Partnerships" team to take this forward. It is anticipated that this will help to ensure creative approaches to the application of local democratic decision-making and community planning to the effective delivery of cultural provision.

Culture

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-1978 by Linda Fabiani on 24 July 2007, what progress has been made in delivering wider access to cultural opportunities.

Linda Fabiani: Our national cultural agencies continue to make important contributions to widening access to culture – for example, the record attendances at recent summer exhibitions in the National Galleries of Scotland. Furthermore, as indicated in the reply to the answer to question S3W-5752, on 6 November 2007 ,  we are starting to see evidence that the new models being used by our 13 pilot projects to inform future cultural policy development and delivery are clearly having the required effect of engaging local communities including hard to reach client groups. I will be setting out further my thinking more generally on widening access to cultural opportunities in my statement to Parliament on 7 November 2007.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Culture

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what aspects of the draft Culture Bill published by the previous administration it proposes to bring forward in its own Culture Bill.

Linda Fabiani: I expect to make a statement about this and connected matters on 7 November 2007.

Culture

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much is being spent this year on cultural co-ordinators in schools and how much was originally earmarked for cultural co-ordinators for 2008-09.

Linda Fabiani: A total of £2.65 million was made available to support the Cultural Co-ordinators in Scottish Schools programme during 2007-08 and a total of £4.65 million was earmarked for 2008-09 by the previous administration. All spend across the Scottish Government from 2008-09 is subject to final confirmation of the outcome of the spending review.

Dentistry

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to review dental charges for older people.

Shona Robison: There are no current plans to review NHS dental charges for older people.

Dentistry

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial assistance is in place to help pensioners who are being charged for dental work.

Shona Robison: Those people, and their partners, in receipt of Pension Credit guarantee credit are entitled to free NHS dental treatment. Help is also available under the NHS Low Income Scheme for those who are not automatically entitled to free NHS treatment but have difficulty in paying.

Dentistry

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to introduce free dental treatment for pensioners on low incomes.

Shona Robison: Help with the cost of NHS dental treatment for pensioners on low incomes is already available. Those, and their partners, in receipt of Pension Credit guarantee credit are entitled to free NHS dental treatment while others on low income may be entitled to help under the NHS Low Income Scheme. This scheme is designed to provide help with NHS charges for those who are not entitled to free treatment but have difficulty in paying. Help under the scheme is income related and based on an assessment of each claimant’s ability to pay in light of their financial circumstances at the time a claim is made or a charge paid.

Dentistry

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to introduce free universal dental treatment for people aged 70 and over.

Shona Robison: There are no current plans to introduce free universal NHS dental treatment for people aged 70 and over, although free universal dental examinations are already in place.

Dentistry

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to ensure that the public can be satisfied that dental work carried out is charged for appropriately.

Shona Robison: The items of treatment which dentists can provide under NHS arrangements and the associated fees which they can charge are set by the Scottish Government and are contained in the Statement of Dental Remuneration (SDR), which is publicly available. An exercise is currently underway to revise the SDR.

  There are also payment verification procedures in place to ensure financial probity.Charges for private dental treatment are not regulated by the government and are a matter for the individual dentists concerned.

Drug Misuse

Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is confident that it is meeting the needs of children who have been identified as living with drug-abusing parents.

Adam Ingram: The 2006 letters of assurance exercise yielded assurances from Chief Officers that systems were in place and working effectively to identify and meet the needs of vulnerable children, though detailed evidence was not consistent or systematic. The Scottish Government is currently assessing how best to progress the children affected by substance misuse agenda to ensure the needs of all affected children are being met.

Drug Misuse

Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-2152 by Adam Ingram on 9 August 2007, whether it is confident that effective systems are now in place to identify children affected by drug misuse.

Adam Ingram: As the answer to question S3W-2152 on 9 August 2007, noted, the 2006 letters of assurance exercise yielded assurances from chief officers that systems were working effectively to protect vulnerable children, though detailed evidence was not consistent or systematic. The Scottish Government is currently assessing how best to progress the children affected by substance misuse agenda to ensure the needs of all affected children are identified and met.

Drug Misuse

Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is confident that all drug abusers with children undergo multi-agency assessments to enable decisions to be taken on their parental capacity.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government is confident that frameworks, including inspection regimes, are in place to help ensure that the welfare of children with drug abusing parents is protected. Where relevant, inspection regimes consider the role of assessing parental capacity and where weaknesses are found, appropriate recommendations to agencies are made.

  Examining the quality of local authority assessment and case management processes is an integral part of the Social Work Inspection Agency’s (SWIA) performance inspections. In 2007, the SWIA also conducted the first multi-agency inspection of substance misuse services, alongside NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and the Care Commission. This covered the level of assessment of parental capacity carried out by the relevant agencies. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education’s inspections of child protection services also consider whether children with drug abusing parents are protected and that the relevant agencies communicate effectively with each other.The Getting Our Priorities Right guidance for working with children and families with substance misuse states that parents with problem substance use should be assessed where their personal difficulties affect their parenting and care of children. The guidance notes that such assessments will vary in complexity, relative to the actual or potential impact on the child.

Drug Misuse

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug-related deaths have been recorded in Dundee in each of the last three years for which information is available.

Jim Mather: The information requested is given in the following table.

  Drug-Related Deaths, Dundee City

  

2004
2005
2006


11
11
16

Drug Misuse

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug-related deaths have been recorded in Tayside in each of the last three years for which information is available.

Jim Mather: The information requested is given in the following table.

  Drug-Related Deaths, Tayside NHS Board Area

  

2004
2005
2006


23
26
35

Drug Misuse

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4416 by Adam Ingram on 1 October 2007, what funds are directly targeted to provide services for the estimated 10,000 to 20,000 children in Scotland living with parental drug abuse.

Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government provides a funding settlement to local authorities to assist in the delivery of services to children and young people, including those affected by parental substance misuse. Authorities have discretion within their own budgets to allocate resources to best meet the needs of these children and young people based on local circumstance.

Economy

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of gross domestic product was generated by agriculture in (a) 1940, (b) 1950, (c) 1960, (d) 1970, (e) 1980, (f) 1990 and (g) 2000.

Jim Mather: It is not possible to provide a full answer to this question as gross domestic product 1 statistics for Scotland are not available for all years requested. Where available, the closest year to the requested year has been provided in the following table.

  Table 1: Contribution of Agriculture to Total Gross Domestic Product1 (1973-2000)

  

Year
Agriculture GDP1
  (£ Million)
Total GDP1
  (£ Million)
Agriculture as a Percentage of Total GDP1 (%)


19732
243
5,652
4.3%


19792
393
14,479
2.7%


19892
730
32,857
2.2%


20002
983
67,150
1.5%



  Source: Input-Output Tables for Scotland.Notes:1. The valuation of GDP prior to 2000 shows GDP at factor cost; in accordance with the European System of National Accounts, GDP at basic prices (also referred to as gross value added) is now used. The principal difference between the two valuations is that GDP at factor cost does not include net taxes (less subsidies) on production.2. Input-output tables are annual snap shot estimates whose data sources and methodologies change each year. As a result, they are not designed to be compared across years.

Economy

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of gross domestic product was generated by the oil and gas industry in (a) 1940, (b) 1950, (c) 1960, (d) 1970, (e) 1980, (f) 1990 and (g) 2000.

Jim Mather: It is not possible to provide a full answer to this question as gross domestic product 1 statistics for Scotland are not available for all years requested at this level of sectoral detail. Where available, the closest year to the requested year has been provided in the following table.

  In accounting for oil and gas activity in the North Sea, North Sea output is not included in Scotland’s official GDP estimates. North Sea activity is instead included in the "Extra Regio" GDP data - and not attributed to any specific UK region - in the UK Regional Accounts. Official Scottish GVA figures therefore include only the on-shore support and service activities for this industry and do not include any off-shore activity. This is the basis of the figures reported as follows.

  Table 1: Contribution of Oil and Gas to total Gross Domestic Product1 (1973-2000)

  

Year
Oil & Gas GDP1
  (£ Million)
Total GDP1
(£ Million)
Oil & Gas as a Percentage of Total GDP1 (%)


19732
2
5,652
0.0%


19792
81
14,479
0.6%


19892
486
32,857
1.5%


20002
850
67,150
1.3%



  Source: Input-Output Tables for Scotland.1. The valuation of GDP prior to 2000 shows GDP at factor cost; in accordance with the European System of National Accounts, GDP at basic prices (also referred to as gross value added) is now used. The principal difference between the two valuations is that GDP at factor cost does not include net taxes (less subsidies) on production.2. Input-output tables are annual snap shot estimates whose data sources and methodologies change each year. As a result, they are not designed to be compared across years.

Economy

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of gross domestic product was generated by manufacturing in (a) 1940, (b) 1950, (c) 1960, (d) 1970, (e) 1980, (f) 1990 and (g) 2000.

Jim Mather: It is not possible to provide a full answer to this question as gross domestic product 1 statistics for Scotland are not available for all years requested. Where available, the closest year to the requested year has been provided in the following table.

  Table 1: Contribution of Manufacturing to Total Gross Domestic Product1 (1973-2000)

  

Year
Manufacturing GDP1
  (£ Million)
Total GDP1
  (£ Million)
Manufacturing as a Percentage of Total GDP1 (%)


19732
2,039 
5,652 
36%


19792
3,695 
14,479 
26%


19903
9,648 
43,224 
22%


20003
12,644 
67,113 
19%



  Source (1973, 1979): Input-Output Tables for Scotland.Source (1990, 2000): Regional Accounts.Notes:1. The valuation of GDP prior to 1990 shows GDP at factor cost; in accordance with the European System of National Accounts, GDP at basic prices (also referred to as gross value added) is now used. The principal difference between the two valuations is that GDP at factor cost does not include net taxes (less subsidies) on production.2. Input-output tables are annual snap shot estimates whose data sources and methodologies change each year. As a result, they are not designed to be compared across years.3. Prior to 2001, input-output tables were not constrained to regional accounts estimates.

Economy

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of gross domestic product was generated by the retail sector in (a) 1940, (b) 1950, (c) 1960, (d) 1970, (e) 1980, (f) 1990 and (g) 2000.

Jim Mather: It is not possible to provide a full answer to this question as gross domestic product 1 statistics for Scotland are not available for all years requested. Where available, the closest year to the requested year has been provided in the following table.

  Table 1: Contribution of Retail to Total Gross Domestic Product1 (1979-2000)

  

Year
Retail GDP1
(£ Million)
Total GDP1
(£ Million)
Retail as a Percentage of Total GDP1 (%)


19792
829 
14,479 
5.7%


19922
2,889 
45,004 
6.4%


20002
3,948
67,150
5.9%



  Source: Input-Output Tables for Scotland.Notes:1. The valuation of GDP prior to 2000 shows GDP at factor cost; in accordance with the European System of National Accounts, GDP at basic prices (also referred to as gross value added) is now used. The principal difference between the two valuations is that GDP at factor cost does not include net taxes (less subsidies) on production.2. Input-output tables are annual snap shot estimates whose data sources and methodologies change each year. As a result, they are not designed to be compared across years.

Economy

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of gross domestic product was generated by the public sector in (a) 1940, (b) 1950, (c) 1960, (d) 1970, (e) 1980, (f) 1990 and (g) 2000.

Jim Mather: It is not possible to provide a full answer to this question as gross domestic product 1 statistics for Scotland are not available for all years requested. Where available, the closest year to the requested year has been provided in the following table. The combined gross domestic product 1 of "public administration, defence, education, health and social work" has been used. It is not possible to exclude the activities of the private and non-profit sector within these industry sectors or the contribution of public services to other industrial sectors.

  Table 1: Contribution of Services most Associated with the Public Sector to Total Gross Domestic Product1 (1973-2000)

  

Year
Public Services-Related Industries GDP1(£ Million)
Total GDP1
  (£ Million)
Public Services-Related Industries as a Percentage of total GDP1


19732
795
5,652
14%


19792
2,424
14,479
17%


19903
9,171
43,224
21%


20003
14,152
67,113
21%



  Source (1973, 1979): Input-Output Tables for Scotland.Source (1990, 2000): Regional Accounts.Notes:1. The valuation of GDP prior to 1990 shows GDP at factor cost; in accordance with the European System of National Accounts, GDP at basic prices (also referred to as gross value added) is now used. The principal difference between the two valuations is that GDP at factor cost does not include net taxes (less subsidies) on production.2. Input-output tables are annual snap shot estimates whose data sources and methodologies change each year. As a result, they are not designed to be compared across years.3. Prior to 2001, input-output tables were not constrained to regional accounts estimates.

Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider amending the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 to ensure that parents of pupils with additional support needs have the same rights as other parents to make a placing request for their children.

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider amending the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 to enable parents of children with additional support needs to make placing requests in local authority areas outwith their own.

Adam Ingram: It is the intention of the Scottish Government to ensure that parents of pupils with additional support needs have the same rights as other parents to make a placing request for their children to attend schools in other local authorities.

  If necessary, we will consider amending the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 to achieve this aim.

Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what difference the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 has made to placing requests from parents of children with additional support needs.

Adam Ingram: Information on the number of placing requests made by parents of children with additional support needs is not held centrally.

Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many parents have made placing requests for children with additional support needs outwith their own local authority areas in each year since 2004 and how many such requests have been successful.

Adam Ingram: The information requested is not held centrally.

Electricity

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government about ensuring that electricity generated by Scottish renewable sources can be delivered to markets in England.

Jim Mather: The First Minister met the Chair and Chief Executive of Ofgem on 20 September 2007. He made the case for a fundamental reform of the transmission access and charging regime, to end unfair barriers to Scottish generators. The First Minister will put a detailed case to Ofgem on the need for reform when he next meets Ofgem’s Chair and Chief Executive. The First Minister also plans to meet the UK Government’s Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR), where he will likewise make this case.

  The Scottish Government also continues to discuss issues relating to access to the grid through BERR’s Transmission Working Group and is contributing to the current Transmission Access Review.

Electricity

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimate has been made of the cost of any network reinforcement work to ensure that electricity generated by Scottish renewable sources can be delivered to markets in England.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government has not undertaken such an estimate. This is a matter for the transmission owners, and any such investment is approved by Ofgem.

Employment

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether guidance is provided to local authorities on working children.

Adam Ingram: Guidance for local authorities on children and young people at work, including information on maximum number of hours children under 16 may work, was issued in September 2006.

  The guidance is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 43973).

Employment

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people under the age of 16 work in Scotland.

Jim Mather: The official source for employment in Scotland is the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The LFS only collects information on employment status of those aged 16 and over. This is due to the school leaving age in the UK and the definition of working age.

  However, research carried out by the Scottish Government in 2006 showed that approximately 29% of pupils in S3 and 34% of pupils in S4 had part time jobs. Further details on this research can be found at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/11/10143236/0.

Enterprise Networks

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4687 by Jim Mather on 15 October 2007, whether it will list precisely which national trade union representatives it consulted prior to announcing its reforms to the enterprise networks.

Jim Mather: The national trade union representatives to which I referred in the answer to question S3W-4687 on 15 October 2007, were from the STUC.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Gaelic

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-3878 by Linda Fabiani on 25 September 2007, which of the wide-ranging commitments to support the development of Gaelic in Scotland have been put in place since May 2007.

Linda Fabiani: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-3878 on 25 September 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

General Register Office for Scotland

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what input it has given, or intends to give, to the General Register Office for Scotland following the published analysis of responses to the spring 2007 Census Consultation.

Jim Mather: A series of informal discussions have been held with the General Register Office for Scotland (GROS) in response to the Census Consultation. Further input across a range of issues in relation to the Census will be provided to the GROS over the coming months as part of the on-going consideration being given to the topics for inclusion in the 2011 Census questionnaire. Under current plans, a provisional decision on the topics to be included will be taken by GROS by March 2008. That decision, incorporating also any subsequent changes resulting from further testing of question wording in a few cases, will be presented to Parliament later in 2008 for final agreement.

General Register Office for Scotland

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the changes proposed by the General Register Office for Scotland to the questions on religion in the 2011 census.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is supportive of the importance of including some form of question on religion in the 2011 Census. It recognises the strong level of support that was expressed by users in response to the spring 2007 Census consultation for the exclusion of a question on religion of upbringing on the grounds that a question on current religion would meet the majority of analysis needs.

Heritage

Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-727 by Linda Fabiani on 20 June 2007, when it will announce the outcome of the review of legislation covering heritage protection.

Linda Fabiani: We hope to make an announcement about the review of heritage legislation in the next few months.

Higher Education

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the impact on the competitiveness of Scottish universities if the cap on tuition fees for English universities is removed and how it intends to respond to the findings of any such assessment.

Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is alert to the possibility that the cap on tuition fees for English universities may be removed. It has assessed a range of information, including an internal report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies commissioned during the previous administration. This report examines the competitiveness of Scottish universities and was delivered during the current administration.

  Any review of the cap in England will of course be important to Scottish higher education institutions and the Scottish Government. It is not a foregone conclusion that the cap will be removed or fees increased. We will take an active interest in the review and make a more detailed and informed impact assessment, as necessary, based on its outcomes.

Higher Education

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many undergraduate degree places to study chemistry at Scottish universities were accepted in (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06, (c) 2006-07 and (d) 2007-08.

Fiona Hyslop: The number of undergraduate degree places accepted by students wishing to study chemistry at Scottish universities were (a) 338 in 2004-05, (b) 395 in 2005-06, (c) 443 in 2006-07 and (d) 476 in 2007-08.

Higher Education

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many undergraduate degree places to study chemistry at Scottish universities were accepted by students domiciled in Scotland in (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06, (c) 2006-07 and (d) 2007-08.

Fiona Hyslop: The number of undergraduate degree places accepted by students domiciled in Scotland, wishing to study chemistry at Scottish universities were (a) 238 in 2004-05, (b) 251 in 2005-06, (c) 297 in 2006-07 and (d) 298 in 2007-08.

Higher Education

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many undergraduate degree places to study physics at Scottish universities were accepted in (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06, (c) 2006-07 and (d) 2007-08.

Fiona Hyslop: The number of undergraduate degree places accepted by students wishing to study physics at Scottish universities were (a) 265 in 2004-05, (b) 247 in 2005-06, (c) 318 in 2006-07 and (d) 332 in 2007-08.

Higher Education

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many undergraduate degree places to study physics at Scottish universities were accepted by students domiciled in Scotland in (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06, (c) 2006-07 and (d) 2007-08.

Fiona Hyslop: The number of undergraduate degree places accepted by students domiciled in Scotland, wishing to study physics at Scottish universities were (a) 198 in 2004-05, (b) 181 in 2005-06, (c) 214 in 2006-07 and (d) 231 in 2007-08.

Higher Education

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many undergraduate degree places to study engineering and technology at Scottish universities were accepted in (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06, (c) 2006-07 and (d) 2007-08.

Fiona Hyslop: The number of undergraduate degree places accepted by students wishing to study engineering and technology at Scottish universities were (a) 2,709 in 2004-05, (b) 2,468 in 2005-06, (c) 2,485 in 2006-07 and (d) 2,652 in 2007-08.

Higher Education

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many undergraduate degree places to study engineering and technology at Scottish universities were accepted by students domiciled in Scotland in (a) 2004-05, (b) 2005-06, (c) 2006-07 and (d) 2007-08.

Fiona Hyslop: The number of undergraduate degree places accepted by students domiciled in Scotland, wishing to study engineering and technology at Scottish universities were (a) 1,764 in 2004-05, (b) 1,626 in 2005-06, (c) 1,583 in 2006-07 and (d) 1,510 in 2007-08.

Hospitals

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the review of guidance governing hospital car parking charges will include consideration of the policy for parking charges at hospitals planned but not yet built, such as the new Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh.

Nicola Sturgeon: Any revised arrangement recommended by the review group will, like the current guidance, apply where consideration is being given to the introduction of car park charging, or to the revision of existing car parking arrangements.

Hospitals

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the review of guidance governing hospital car parking charges will include consideration of the policy for parking charges at hospitals delivered by public private partnership.

Nicola Sturgeon: I have asked the group to review the existing guidance on car parking. This clearly states that it applies whether the car parking facilities are provided by an NHS board or by a private sector provider acting on their behalf.

Mortality

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have drowned (a) accidentally and (b) non-accidentally in lochs and rivers in each of the last five years.

Jim Mather: The information collected when a death is registered in Scotland does not always distinguish between deaths from drowning that occur in lochs and rivers and those that occur elsewhere, for example in the sea. All deaths in Scotland are coded to the World Health Organization’s International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Version 10 (ICD10). The following table presents the available information on deaths from drowning or submersion in Scotland using the categories set out in ICD10.

  Deaths by Drowning and Submersion, Scotland, 2002-06

  

 
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006


Accidents
 
 
 
 
 


Drowning in bath tub
2
1
2
1
1


Drowning in swimming pool
 
 
1
 
 


Drowning and submersion while in natural water
3
6
3
3
4


Drowning and submersion following fall into natural water
2
2
1
2
2


Other specified drowning and submersion
 
3
 
 
 


Unspecified drowning and submersion
6
5
7
3
2


Suicides
 
 
 
 
 


Intentional self-harm by drowning and submersion
29
22
25
24
25


Assaults
 
 
 
 
 


Assault by drowning and submersion
 
 
1
 
1


Events of undetermined intent
 
 
 
 
 


Drowning and submersion, undetermined intent
72
57
45
58
47


Sequelae of events of undetermined intent
 
 
 
1

Museums

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh North and Leith) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support is available to non-national museums.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government supports non-national museums through funding for the Scottish Museums Council. Grant to Scottish Museums Council in 2007-08 is £3.374 million, including £0.5 million funding for the Museums Recognition Scheme.

  The Scottish Government is also funding directly the Scottish Mining, Maritime and Fisheries Museums, with £247,000, £327,000 and £75,000 respectively in 2007-08.

NHS Staff

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5259 by Nicola Sturgeon on 30 October 2007, what is being done to reduce the levels of sickness absence in the NHS, including the rate of 9.88% in NHS 24.

Nicola Sturgeon: As part of the annual Staff Governance Self Assessment Audit, all NHS boards are required to submit Staff Governance Action Plans, which includes measures to ensure that boards are progressing towards the Efficient Government sickness absence target of 4% by end of March 2008. This is something that we will continue to monitor closely to ensure that all boards meet the target.

Non-Domestic Rates

John Park (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-5572 by John Swinney on 1 November 2007, how its proposals on business rates will substantially benefit small and medium-sized businesses.

John Swinney: We will publish proposals shortly to remove or reduce the burden of business rates for a substantial number of small and medium-sized businesses. Reducing their costs in this way will give them a competitive advantage and a greater opportunity to grow and to invest in their future.

Pre-School Education

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make induction a requirement for new entrants to childminding.

Adam Ingram: There are currently no plans to introduce mandatory training for childminders. However, the specific training needs of childminders are being considered as part of our wider workforce development activities affecting early years and childcare.

  We have plans to create specific guidance for childminders in 2008, to help them understand the benefits of training and how to access training and qualifications.

Pre-School Education

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to increase entitlement to pre-school education from August 2007.

Adam Ingram: On 20 June 2007 the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning announced an increase in the hours of pre-school education from 412.5 to 475 hours per year. Funding was provided to local authorities to deliver the increased provision from August 2007 and a change to secondary legislation which increased the legal entitlement came into force on 25 September 2007.

Pre-School Education

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the increased entitlement to pre-school education from August 2007 has led to more hours at nursery for children.

Adam Ingram: It is estimated that from August 2007, up to 25,000 children, mainly in partner provider settings, are receiving additional hours of free pre-school education or additional funding support, following the increase in hours to 475 per year.

Pre-School Education

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the 50% increase in the provision of free nursery education will be in place.

Adam Ingram: We are working with partners in local government to develop a timetable for future increases to the provision of free nursery education.

Pre-School Education

Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what impact a 50% increase in free nursery provision will have on the childminding workforce.

Adam Ingram: In January 2007, just under 25% of all children looked after by childminders were aged three years and four years and therefore eligible for pre-school education.

  It is not possible to say at this stage what impact an increase in free pre-school education would have on the childminding workforce. This will depend on individual parental choice and circumstances and the fee structure of individual childminders.

Queen's Speech

Brian Adam (Aberdeen North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what legislative consent motions it will lodge in the Parliament in connection with the legislative programme of the UK Government that will be announced in the Queen’s Speech on 6 November 2007.

Bruce Crawford: The Sewel Convention provides that the United Kingdom Government will not normally legislate with regard to devolved matters in Scotland without the consent of the Scottish Parliament. This is an important part of the devolution settlement, signifying respect for the role of the Scottish Parliament.

  The Scottish Government is committed to considering proposals for Legislative Consent Motions on a case-by-case basis, and believes that the Sewel Convention will remain a key part of the current constitutional arrangements as long as the United Kingdom Parliament retains its current powers.Within the United Kingdom Government’s new legislative programme announced today, the government has identified and agreed a number of specific opportunities to legislate for the benefit of Scotland on matters that are within the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament and on matters which relate to the executive competence of Scottish ministers.The bills are:Health and Social Care: to include Scotland in improvements and changes to the UK regulatory regime for the health care professions.Climate Change: to provide a statutory UK framework for actions to mitigate climate change by reducing emissions, including setting a statutory target for the reduction of carbon emissions.Dormant Bank and Building Societies Accounts: To allow access to funds in dormant accounts to invest back into society in Scotland, and confer additional functions on Scottish ministers to make orders directing the distribution of these funds.The Scottish Government will be bringing forward memorandums and Legislative Consent Motions for these Bills in line with the requirements of Standing Orders over the next few weeks. It will be for the Scottish Parliament then to determine whether to give or withhold consent.Further proposals to legislate for Scotland via a Legislative Consent Motion may well develop in relation to other Bills announced today by the United Kingdom Government, as their content is finalised. We will continue to work with the United Kingdom Government and will bring to the attention of the Parliament any such proposals as soon as they are identified.

School Meals

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when families in receipt of working families tax credit in (a) East Ayrshire and (b) South Ayrshire will receive free school meals.

Adam Ingram: This will depend on our on-going discussions with COSLA about outcome agreements.

School Meals

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will meet COSLA to discuss extending the free school meals entitlement to families in receipt of maximum child tax credit and maximum working tax credit.

Adam Ingram: Discussions with COSLA are on-going.

Schools

Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what advice its officials gave to Dumfries and Galloway Council concerning reference to the Scottish Ministers of proposals agreed by Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Education and Community Services Committee on 6 November 2003 to close St Teresa’s Roman Catholic Primary School and St Andrew’s Roman Catholic Primary School and to merge the two schools.

Maureen Watt: In a July 2003 response to a letter from Dumfries and Galloway Council the former Scottish Executive set out, in general terms, the operation of the legislation on school closures and the circumstances in which the consent of ministers is required. The response made clear that the Executive could not comment on the specific situation of the two Roman Catholic schools in Dumfries which had prompted the council’s enquiry.

Schools

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4248 by Fiona Hyslop on 25 September 2007, whether any of these reports referred to the existence of a "so-called hit list" of school closures approved by the City of Edinburgh Council Executive prior to May 2007 and, if so, which reports these were and when they were published.

Maureen Watt: Press reports, although not using the precise term "so-called hit list", suggested that the possibility of school closures was under consideration by the then City of Edinburgh Council administration and mentioned certain specific schools.

Scottish Enterprise

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4698 by Jim Mather on 12 October 2007, whether it will ensure that trade unions are invited to become members of the regional business advisory boards.

Jim Mather: Detailed decisions have not yet been taken as to the precise membership of regional business advisory boards.

Scottish Enterprise

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will determine the additional funding to be provided to (a) East Ayrshire Council and (b) South Ayrshire Council for local regeneration following the reorganisation of Scottish Enterprise.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is working with interested stakeholders to determine the exact nature and timing of the regeneration activity to be transferred to local authorities. Decisions on funding will be made when these details are known, subject to the outcomes of the Scottish Spending Review. No changes to budgets will be made until the next financial year.

Scottish Government Expenditure

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive when the next edition of Government Expenditure and Revenues in Scotland will be published.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government will continue to publish the Government Expenditure and Revenue in Scotland (GERS) document. The publication date and content are a matter for Dr Andrew Goudie, the Chief Economic Adviser and not for ministers.

Teachers

Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that all teachers are able to access higher salaries, in light of the cost of the Chartered Teacher Scheme and the length of time required to gain Chartered Teacher status.

Maureen Watt: The Chartered Teacher project is open to all teachers at the top of the main grade salary scale who have maintained a CPD Portfolio. There are two routes available to teachers: the programme route (a twelve module masters degree), and the accreditation route (involving the submission of a portfolio-based claim against the Standard for Chartered Teacher). Candidates are expected to meet the costs of which ever route they undertake. Six salary increments are available, one on completion of every two modules or all six on completion of the accreditation route.